1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus and a method for detecting foreign matter.
2. Related Art
An ink jet type printer which forms an image on a medium by ejecting ink (a type of liquid) from a head is known as a liquid ejecting apparatus. In such a printer, a support member (platen) for supporting the medium is provided in a position facing the head.
In such a printer, if foreign matter such as dust is present on the medium, since there is a concern that the head may be damaged by colliding with the foreign matter, it is preferable that presence or absence of the foreign matter be detected. As an apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of the foreign matter, for example, an optical sensor such as disclosed in JP-A-2007-85960 is known.
As the printer described above, there is a printer including a heat source (for example, an irradiation section of UV, a heater, a hot air blowing section or the like) for fixing the ink on the medium after the ink is landed on the medium. In such a printer, a peripheral temperature of the sensor is changed by heat generated from the heat source or heat released from a support member which is heated by the heat source. Such a sensor has temperature characteristics and there is a concern that accuracy of the sensor is deteriorated and then detection accuracy of the foreign matter is reduced by change in the peripheral temperature of the sensor.